Pharoahe MonchDesire

Possessing a highly evolved flow, Pharoahe Monch has long been regarded as a lyrical juggernaut by his fans and peers alike. Monch’s deitylike status rose even higher when his 1999 solo debut, Internal Affairs, and its underground-traversing smash “Simon Says” ran amok on radio and in clubs. But rather than capitalize on his newfound fame, the Queens-bred rapper got entangled in industry politics and went AWOL. Now, over seven years later, he returns with his long-overdue follow-up, Desire.

Never one to rhyme just for the sake of rhyming, Monch keeps his playlist limited to a brief 12 tracks of adamantine lyricism tempered by imaginative concepts. On “When the Gun Draws,” he updates “Stray Bullet,” a classic from his Organized Konfusion days. Over creeping keys, he assumes a bullet’s-eye view and spits, “White man made me venom to eliminate/Especially when I’m in the hood, I never discriminate/Just get in ’em then I renovate/Flesh, bone, ain’t nothing for me to penetrate.” Even more meticulous is “The Trilogy,” a hip-hop opera about betrayal and marital infidelity. Split into three acts (“Cops Coming,” “Revenge” and “Evil Eyes”), the song is produced by Mr. Porter, who provides disparate beats for each chapter of Monch’s intricate tale.

Pharoahe’s dense lyricism could easily overwhelm the music, but part of Desire’s success is production as diverse as his wordplay. The Alchemist’s spastic guitars on the title track give the song a rugged rock swing, while “Push” is a horn-driven, bluesy number produced by Monch, who handles a handful of tracks himself. Keeping the list of beat contributors concise centers the album, but there are a couple musical misalignments—namely, the lackluster remake of PE’s “Welcome to the Terror Dome” and the folksy rhythm of “Body Baby.” Those slight blemishes aside, Monch delivers yet another reason for rap fans to get the fuck up. —ALVIN BLANCO

Best of XXL

Best of XXL

Pharoahe Monch sux nobody gives a hit about his crap i give him a “S” for sux

vincent

true rap/hip hop/music, however you call it.

Just look at the cover of his album, it s art, than look at these other clowns’ with no concepts and just grillz and blings but with no subsance at all.

Hip hop is alive, and its doing well.

stoneyisland

i’m copping his shit. not downloading. Nuff said

RefuG

one of the best lyracist of all time just that song oh no puts ur ass in awwee definatly hot even though mr.porters beats aint all that

xxxxl

this is something you DON’T download. its something you go out and BUY. LIL WACK you’re stupid if u think pharoahe monche isn’t one of the greatest lyricists in hip-hop. if you think people like mims and their rhymes are hot, ur not just lil wack. ur really whack.

Completely agree with XXXXL, and VoodooDude….Lil wack, you’re fuckin’ lame…Pharoahe Monch is a fucking monster…one of the most underrated emcee’s ever.

KASH D

fuck the matrix PHAROAHE MONCH is the ONE.

http://www.myspace.com/arkaplan - OZ – www.myspace.com/arkaplan

He’s a big MC right..

n ture hiphop

Respect him

http://www.illRoots.com GS

I can’t wait for the album.

Sam

Pff, if 50 Cent got an XXL rating for GRODT, why doesn’t Pharoahe Monch get one for this album which surely is like 10 times better? Really, how much did Interscope pay for that XXL rating?

Pancho

lol…Pharoahe Monch wrote a good chunk of Diddy’s album…thanx to him, Diddy was at least bearable to listen to….

Give Monch his props…and BUY his album!

B.P.chez

desire is an incredible track.on that alone i will by the album.can’t wait to listen to something refreshing

IT IS I

Pharoahe Monch been ill since Organized Konfusion (see the song Stress). It’s just a shame that he don’t get his full props due like these cornball gimmick rappers that don’t deserve it(notice that I said rappers and NOT mc’s). But I heard Desire, and that shit is the truth! Get yours this year Pharoahe!

ON IT!!

As soon as this album drops its all about paying da cash for it. Not downloading this one at all.

DJ

yo i iant ever heard of this guy b4 but he sounds pretty ill. i guarentee lil wack aint never heard him niether but hes a hater lol but yo if yall say hes ill and gets a xl fer a album dat aint even bein promted hes gatta be ill

http://lionellpyahoo.com Gee-Money

Pharoahe always been hot he definatly is one of those MC’s who is looked over but that nigga tight though really need to cop that

marX

I have been waiting for this for ever; his first single should of been called ‘Push—-ed back for years’. This album is the highlight of the year for me. After this comes out I have nothing more to look forward to. Monch is a monster, check out his mixtape, it’s called ‘The Awakening’; fire.

MAN YALL BETTER BUY THIS DOODS ALBUM…IF U DONT SUPPORT REAL HIP HOP THEN WHEN WILL HIP HOP EVER COME BACK?? BOYCOTT ALL THAT WACK GARBAGE THAT THEY CALL MUSIC…SUPPORT REAL HIP HOP LIKE THIS GUY- METHOD, RED, UNDERGROUND IS WHERE THE REAL EMCEES ARE BEING BRED………………………………………………………….

SUPPORT MONCH DAMMIT!

MAN YALL BETTER BUY THIS DOODS ALBUM…IF U DONT SUPPORT REAL HIP HOP THEN WHEN WILL HIP HOP EVER COME BACK?? BOYCOTT ALL THAT WACK GARBAGE THAT THEY CALL MUSIC…SUPPORT REAL HIP HOP LIKE THIS GUY- METHOD, RED, UNDERGROUND IS WHERE THE REAL EMCEES ARE BEING BRED………………………………………………………….

Mojo jojo

Gods gift to vocabulary…. Pha is maad nice, Im buyin 2 and sending 1 to my boy back home in Africa. Support the real, support monch

Lil Wack’s real father

Pharoah “delivers scriptures similar to Jesus/that you couldn’t catch if you were Ivan Rodriguez”. I encourage individuals to purchase this album…He hasn’t dropped an LP in 8 years!?!?!

http://www.applyimage.co.uk/forum Tha_Story

If skill sold, this album would probably go platinum in the first week or two.

But since you need a catchy beat, single syllable rhyming scheme and a dance on your hook to sell, he ain’t gunna do too well with this.

Album is crazy, can’t wait to buy it.

Good luck to the man.

well

Lyrically, he’s insane. Very few rappers in the game are on his level. But his beats are wack as hell. No offense to the man…Oh No is one of my favorite tracks of all time. but it had a beat to it, unlike his other shit. most rap fans…yes even the ones that know what they’re talking about…need some sort of beat in the background, or they get bored fast. when Mr. Porter is the best producer on your albums, we’ve got problems.

I think a DJ Premier track would suit this guy’s rhyme scheme very well. but nope, for some reason, the only producers on the album anyone’s ever heard of are Mr. Porter, Black Milk (his beats aren’t very good regardless) and Monch himself. One dimensional “lyrics-only” rappers are just as boring as “beat-only” rappers such as Rick Ross. more talented, yes, but just as boring.

Big Pimpin

I was thinking about ghost writing like Monch. You think Diddy will buy this??

“Her Tig Ol Bitties bounce when she runs
She pops them out when i show her the guns
When she wants to freak i grab on her buns
and we be doin shit that a nun would shun”

zack

album is crack

DTRIP

Li’l Wack…looks like your taste in music is the same as your name with no love for Pharoah Monche…I’m sure you would rather lean wit it/rock wit it right??…Bullshit from the south…the BEAST is coming back to save hip hop

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